- Docente: Diego Masotti
- Credits: 6
- SSD: ING-INF/02
- Language: English
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
- Campus: Bologna
- Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Telecommunications Engineering (cod. 9205)
Learning outcomes
The role of antenna as strategic interface between transmitter/receiver and channel. Design rules for the principal families of antennas (wire, aperture, and microstrip antennas), and for their combination in array architectures. Exploitation of antennas in modern energy-aware applications, such as radio-frequency energy harvesting or wireless power transfer systems.
Course contents
1. Analysis approach
Recall of Maxwell’s equations: solution in a normal homogeneous medium
The non-homogeneous medium problem: scattering problem and interpretation of the antenna as a scatterer
2. Properties of the antenna operated in the transmitting and in the receiving mode
Antenna current distribution; radiated field; antenna reflection coefficient, antenna operating band
In far-field conditions: antenna polarization; radiated power; radiation intensity; radiation patterns; directivity; radiation efficiency and antenna (power) gain; antenna effective area
Impedance and polarization mismatch, received power
Friis transmission equation: basic analysis and design of a radio link
3. Electromagnetic dipoles and loop antennas
Closed-form analysis and hints on numerical analysis
Feeding dipoles by unbalanced transmission lines such as coaxial cables
Loop antennas as magnetic dipoles
Basic analysis of NFC systems
4. Array theory
Array factor and the principle of pattern multiplication
One- and two-dimensional arrays
Shielded arrays
Electronic scanning and phased arrays
Smart antennas
Arrays for terrestrial TV reception: Yagi-Uda, log-periodic, and bow-tie
5. Microstrip patch antennas
Patch description as an array of magnetic apertures
Patch feeding techniques
Reduced-size PIFA antennas for 2G/3G mobile terminals
Multiresonant PIFA’s
Antenna broadbanding by the resonance envelope technique
Multiband antennas for 4G/LTE terminals
Self-scaling antennas for ultra-wideband applications
6. Rectifying antennas
Definition of rectifying antennas (or RECTENNAS) for both RF energy harvesting and Wireless Power Transfer applications: choices in terms of i) rectenna architecture, ii) antenna, and iii) rectifying section.
Methods for accurate rectenna design.
Examples of rectenna designs and applications
7. Laboratory
Electromagnetic design of cell-phone multi band antenna
Electromagnetic design of a single band patch antenna and its exploitation in a circuital/electromagnetic design of a single band rectenna
Realization of few samples of single band patches and their characterization from both near-and far-field point of view
Readings/Bibliography
- Slides of the lectures
- (in italian): "Lezioni di sistemi d'antenna" (Vol. I and Vol. II), V. Rizzoli and D. Masotti
- "Antenna Theory: Analysis and Design", Constantine A. Balanis
Teaching methods
In the classroom lectures (with slides projection) the performance principles and the analysis and basic design methods of the main types of antennas are treated, in the frame of wireless telecommunication systems. Practical examples and prototypes are described/shown in class. The training hours are devoted to the development of application examples.
Assessment methods
Oral exam consisting in a discussion aimed at establishing the student's understanding of the treated principles, methodologies, and laboratory experiments as well as of his/her ability to apply them to practical engineering problems
Teaching tools
- Projection of slides, blackboard, and antenna prototypes
Links to further information
http://www.dei.unibo.it/en/research/research-facilities/Labs/rfcal-rf-circuit-and-antenna-design-lab
Office hours
See the website of Diego Masotti